Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI)

The Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) is intended to provide support for students and foster parents/guardians related to becoming a student at College of the Canyons. Students placed in foster care by Dependency Court at any time since turning 13 years of age, may be entitled to benefits that will assist them through the very important transition into college.

With the passage of Assembly Bill 12 (Extended Foster Care Benefits) and Assembly Bill 194 (Priority Registration) current or former foster youth qualify for many additional resources to support their success. Many foster youth qualify for financial aid to help cover the cost of tuition, books, and cost of living expenses.

Assembly Bill 194 allows priority registration to be granted to a foster youth or former foster youth until January 1, 2017 (unless changes are made in a later statue that may delete or extend that date). "Foster youth" is defined as a person who is currently in foster care, and "former foster youth" means a person who is an emancipated foster youth and who is up to 24 years of age. If you meet this requirement, you may qualify for priority registration. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to meet with a counselor who can assist you with identifying your status and provide you with the resources you will need to become a successful student.

Important DCFS Information

Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP)

If you are a youth in foster care placement, enrolled in college or working 80 hours per month, who turned age 18 on or after January 1, 2012, you can remain in foster care until age 20 under a Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP). Beginning January 1, 2014, qualified youth can participate in extended foster care until age 21. SILP was created by California’s Fostering Connections to Success Act (also known as AB12). Upon completing a SILP Readiness Assessment, youth can receive direct financial support while living independently in an apartment, renting a room, residing in a college dorm and sharing a setting with a roommate. Contact your ILP Coordinator or Social Worker for information on how to apply.

Independent Living Coordinator

An Independent Living Coordinator provides assistance to current and former foster/probation youth, 16-21 years of age. The ILP Coordinator is available to help current and former foster youth gain stability, economic well-being, social/emotional well-being and education and workforce readiness.